❓ Hon Robin Chapple questions the Minister for Mines and Petroleum regarding ventilation safety at the Barrick Kanowna Raleigh mine, citing internal memos and inspection records. The questions focus on compliance with safety regulations, responsibilities of personnel, and the effectiveness of departmental inspections.
AnsweredQoN 2492Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Barrick Kanowna Raleigh operations, internal memorandums numbered RUM-MO-10-31 and RUM-MO-10-32 dated 3 February 2010, the Raleigh Secondary Vent Survey Log Sheet dated 2 February 2010 which are available for viewing at
http://www.robinchapple.org.au/sites/robinchapple.org.au/files/2010-02-03
RUM-MOs Raleigh.pdf and question on notice No. 2276 answered on 20 April 2010, and ask -
(1) Can the Minister state how important under the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995
it is, that Regulation 9.8 is adhered to and strictly complied with?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) Can the Minister explain what importance the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) inspectors place on the ‘ventilation log book’ as identifying any ‘defects’, or ‘deficiency’ with the ventilation system, in all Western Australian Mines including the Raleigh mine?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
(5) Can the Minister state the name of the manager who is recorded with the DMP, for the Raleigh Mine?
(6) If no to (5), why not?
(7) Are Ivan Rooyen and Adrian Halim recorded with the Department of Mines and Petroleum as being ventilation officers, with appropriate qualifications under the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995
?
(8) If yes to (7), how long in months/years have these two people been recorded as holding the requisite qualification s as required under the legislation?
(9) In relation to the internal memorandums and the Raleigh Secondary Vent Survey Log Sheet referred to above, do the shift bosses, mine foreman or any other employee have any responsibilities, obligations under Regulation 9.8 or any other Regulation, to ensure that any defect or deficiency of the ventilation system at the Raleigh mine is recorded in the ventilation log book?
(10) If no to (9), why not?
(11) Can the Minister state on what specific date, the ventilation officer reported to the mine manager, the deficiency and defects with the ventilation system referred to above in both of the internal memorandums, and the Raleigh Secondary Vent Survey Log Sheet?
(12) If no to (11), why not?
(13) Can the Minister explain why the mine manager has failed to report the defects and deficiencies, identified in both of the internal memorandums and the Raleigh Secondary Vent Survey Log Sheet referred to above?
(14) If no to (13), why not?
(15) Have management personnel at Barrick Kanowna implemented a procedure and policy, across Barrick operations which clearly designate and discharge responsibilities to each responsible person, to ensure compliance with Regulation 9.8 of the
Mines Safety Regulations 1995
?
(16) If no to (15), why not?
(17) If yes to (15), on what specific date were these procedures and policies implemented?
(18) With respect to (15), can the minister quote the text of these policies and procedures which may designate for each responsible person the obligations under Regulation 9.8?
(19) If no to (18), why not?
(20) Given that there have been 27 inspections of the Raleigh mine by DMP inspectors since the beginning of 2008, and no notices of defects or deficiencies have been recorded in the ventilation log book, will the Minister or the DMP inspectorate prosecute this company or any responsible person at this mine for non compliance with Regulation 9.8, to serve as a clear and strong deterrent that under no circumstances will the inspectorate tolerate such breaches which serve as a minimum standard to protect the well being of all employees at the mine?
(21) If no to (20), why not?
(22) Can the Minister explain how the DMP inspectorate can claim that they are protecting the workers and doing their job with 27 inspections, when there has been a failure of the inspectorate in the life of the mine, when there has been serious defects and deficiencies with the ventilation system during that time?
(23) If no to (22), why not?
(24) Can the Minister explain how the public of Western Australia, any mine employee, including family and colleagues, can have confidence in the DMP inspectorate, when ventilation defects and deficiencies are not being recorded in ventilation log books in mines, given that there has been a failure of the regulatory systems designed to protect the occupational health and safety of employees at the Barrick Raleigh mine, who have repeatedly claimed they have such high standards and are committed so strongly to the health and safety of their employees, and wider community?
(25) If no to (24), why not?
http://www.robinchapple.org.au/sites/robinchapple.org.au/files/2010-02-03
RUM-MOs Raleigh.pdf and question on notice No. 2276 answered on 20 April 2010, and ask -
(1) Can the Minister state how important under the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995
it is, that Regulation 9.8 is adhered to and strictly complied with?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) Can the Minister explain what importance the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) inspectors place on the ‘ventilation log book’ as identifying any ‘defects’, or ‘deficiency’ with the ventilation system, in all Western Australian Mines including the Raleigh mine?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
(5) Can the Minister state the name of the manager who is recorded with the DMP, for the Raleigh Mine?
(6) If no to (5), why not?
(7) Are Ivan Rooyen and Adrian Halim recorded with the Department of Mines and Petroleum as being ventilation officers, with appropriate qualifications under the
Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and Regulations 1995
?
(8) If yes to (7), how long in months/years have these two people been recorded as holding the requisite qualification s as required under the legislation?
(9) In relation to the internal memorandums and the Raleigh Secondary Vent Survey Log Sheet referred to above, do the shift bosses, mine foreman or any other employee have any responsibilities, obligations under Regulation 9.8 or any other Regulation, to ensure that any defect or deficiency of the ventilation system at the Raleigh mine is recorded in the ventilation log book?
(10) If no to (9), why not?
(11) Can the Minister state on what specific date, the ventilation officer reported to the mine manager, the deficiency and defects with the ventilation system referred to above in both of the internal memorandums, and the Raleigh Secondary Vent Survey Log Sheet?
(12) If no to (11), why not?
(13) Can the Minister explain why the mine manager has failed to report the defects and deficiencies, identified in both of the internal memorandums and the Raleigh Secondary Vent Survey Log Sheet referred to above?
(14) If no to (13), why not?
(15) Have management personnel at Barrick Kanowna implemented a procedure and policy, across Barrick operations which clearly designate and discharge responsibilities to each responsible person, to ensure compliance with Regulation 9.8 of the
Mines Safety Regulations 1995
?
(16) If no to (15), why not?
(17) If yes to (15), on what specific date were these procedures and policies implemented?
(18) With respect to (15), can the minister quote the text of these policies and procedures which may designate for each responsible person the obligations under Regulation 9.8?
(19) If no to (18), why not?
(20) Given that there have been 27 inspections of the Raleigh mine by DMP inspectors since the beginning of 2008, and no notices of defects or deficiencies have been recorded in the ventilation log book, will the Minister or the DMP inspectorate prosecute this company or any responsible person at this mine for non compliance with Regulation 9.8, to serve as a clear and strong deterrent that under no circumstances will the inspectorate tolerate such breaches which serve as a minimum standard to protect the well being of all employees at the mine?
(21) If no to (20), why not?
(22) Can the Minister explain how the DMP inspectorate can claim that they are protecting the workers and doing their job with 27 inspections, when there has been a failure of the inspectorate in the life of the mine, when there has been serious defects and deficiencies with the ventilation system during that time?
(23) If no to (22), why not?
(24) Can the Minister explain how the public of Western Australia, any mine employee, including family and colleagues, can have confidence in the DMP inspectorate, when ventilation defects and deficiencies are not being recorded in ventilation log books in mines, given that there has been a failure of the regulatory systems designed to protect the occupational health and safety of employees at the Barrick Raleigh mine, who have repeatedly claimed they have such high standards and are committed so strongly to the health and safety of their employees, and wider community?
(25) If no to (24), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
10 August 2010
Responded by
Minister for Mines and Petroleum
Response time
56 days
(1) In part Regulation 9.8 places a responsibility on the manager of a mine to ensure that any defect or deficiency in the ventilation system that has been reported by the Ventilation Officer is rectified as soon as practicable. This is a sensible and necessary provision.
(2) Not applicable
(3) The Department's inspectors view the log book as a useful record of what defects and deficiencies have been rectified.
(4) Not applicable
(5) The Registered Manager of the Raleigh Mine is Mr Evan Spencer.
(6) Not applicable
(7) No, only Mr Adrian Halim is recorded as the Ventilation Officer for the Raleigh Mine.
(8) Mr Adrian Halim received a Masters degree in Mining Engineering on
17 December 2001. As such he has held the required qualifications to be a Ventilation Officer for nine and a half years.
(9) No
(10) It is the duty of the Ventilation Officer under Regulation 9.5(j) of the Mines Safety and Inspection Regulations 1995 to enter required records in the Ventilation Log Book.
(11) The dates of the internal memorandums (3 and 8 February 2010) show when they were directed to the Manager's representatives.
(12) Not applicable
(13) The
Mine Safety and Inspection Act 1994
and Regulations 1995 does not require the manager to report such matters to the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(14) Not applicable
(15) Regardless of internal management accountabilities at a mine the
Regulation 9.8 responsibilities of the manager cannot be delegated.
(16) Not applicable
(17) Not applicable
(18) No
(19) Refer to Answer 15.
(20) No
(21) Taking prosecution action would not be warranted as it would be wasteful of resources.
(22) Responsibility for identifying and rectifying defects and deficiencies with any plant or equipment at a mine rests with the mine operator and, where appropriate, persons appointed to prescribed statutory positions.
(23) Not applicable
(24) Ventilation defects and deficiencies are being recorded and reported by the Ventilation Officer at this site.
(25) Not applicable
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(2) Not applicable
(3) The Department's inspectors view the log book as a useful record of what defects and deficiencies have been rectified.
(4) Not applicable
(5) The Registered Manager of the Raleigh Mine is Mr Evan Spencer.
(6) Not applicable
(7) No, only Mr Adrian Halim is recorded as the Ventilation Officer for the Raleigh Mine.
(8) Mr Adrian Halim received a Masters degree in Mining Engineering on
17 December 2001. As such he has held the required qualifications to be a Ventilation Officer for nine and a half years.
(9) No
(10) It is the duty of the Ventilation Officer under Regulation 9.5(j) of the Mines Safety and Inspection Regulations 1995 to enter required records in the Ventilation Log Book.
(11) The dates of the internal memorandums (3 and 8 February 2010) show when they were directed to the Manager's representatives.
(12) Not applicable
(13) The
Mine Safety and Inspection Act 1994
and Regulations 1995 does not require the manager to report such matters to the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
(14) Not applicable
(15) Regardless of internal management accountabilities at a mine the
Regulation 9.8 responsibilities of the manager cannot be delegated.
(16) Not applicable
(17) Not applicable
(18) No
(19) Refer to Answer 15.
(20) No
(21) Taking prosecution action would not be warranted as it would be wasteful of resources.
(22) Responsibility for identifying and rectifying defects and deficiencies with any plant or equipment at a mine rests with the mine operator and, where appropriate, persons appointed to prescribed statutory positions.
(23) Not applicable
(24) Ventilation defects and deficiencies are being recorded and reported by the Ventilation Officer at this site.
(25) Not applicable
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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